Comedy Central promotes Kent Alterman to oversee content development

Kent Alterman, left, and Will Ferrell on the set of "Semi-Pro." (New Line Cinema )

Kent Alterman, the director of the Will Ferrell comedy "Semi-Pro" and the former head of original programming and production at Comedy Central, has just been given a new position at the cable channel: president of content development and original programming.

Comedy Central apparently wants to make a deeper push into the online comedy territory of websites such Funny or Die and College Humor with this new position, which the channel said will consolidate control over programming across all platforms. It also promised deeper integrations between current and future programming and digital and social platforms.

Comedy Central said more on its future digital media integration plans will be forthcoming.

Alterman is also to oversee Comedy Central's talent and specials team, which scouts for fresh comedy talent, and will more closely work with the enterprises division, which handles partnerships dealing with live performances, publishing, home video and recordings.

Alterman will continue to report to Michele Ganeless, president of Comedy Central, the channel said.

"In consolidating all content development under Kent's direction, Comedy Central is breaking the wall between linear, digital and social development, with a strategic vision that great content is great content, no matter what platform," Ganeless said in a statement.

This is Alterman's second time at Comedy Central. He previously served as head of the channel's New York development office before leaving in 2001. He was an executive at New Line Cinema and directed and executive produced "Semi-Pro" before returning to Comedy Central in 2010.